Supplier Manager

WHSmith North America; Las Vegas (NV); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

WHSmith North America seeks a Supplier Manager to drive merchandise assortments and supplier partnerships. You will collaborate with planning teams to develop category strategies, manage budgets, and optimize margins while coordinating with store leadership across the region.

The role emphasizes collaboration rather than people leadership, requiring strong analytical and negotiation skills, travel to stores, and hands-on market analysis.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of merchandise buying or vendor management experience.
• Strong merchandising and retail math skills including Open-to-Buy management.
• Ability to adapt, multi-task and problem solve in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and merchandising software platforms.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute merchandise assortment strategies to meet financial goals.
• Product development as needed in accordance with brands, departments, and concepts.
• Partner with Planner to manage and adhere to Open-to-Buy budget.
• Work with vendors to resolve PO discrepancies and compliance issues.
• Analyze business at division, department, class, subclass, attribute, and store level.
• Communicate with Planner, Store Managers, Regional Managers and other colleagues.
• Negotiate terms with vendors to maximize margin, including pricing and RTVs.
• Prepare for and participate in regular Merchandising meetings and reviews.
• Develop seasonal trend presentations and educate field teams during workshops.
• Visit stores to evaluate assortments, stock levels, and market trends; visit competitors for opportunities.
• Conduct tasks related to new stores, including market research, planograms, and new assortments.
• Collaborate with Planner on allocation, reorder flow, and product lifecycle including promos and markdowns.

Skills

Merchandise buying

Vendor management

OTB management

Retail math

Communication

Tools

Microsoft Office

Excel

Planogram software

Merchandising software platform

Job description

The Supplier Manager is responsible for procuring, developing, and managing effective merchandise assortments to achieve the sales, margin, and turnover targets for his/her respective buying areas. In partnership with their DVP and respective Planner, the Buyer will create the appropriate merchandise mix and develop category and supplier strategies. This is not a people leadership role.

Job Responsibilitie

• sDevelop and execute merchandise assortment strategies to meet or exceed the financial goal
• sProduct development as needed in accordance with the respective brands, departments, and concepts
• .Partner with Planner to manage and adhere to Open-to-Buy (OTB) budget
• .Work with vendors to resolve purchase order discrepancies and compliance issues
• .Analyze business at division, department, class, subclass, attribute, and store level
• .Create and maintain open lines of communication with Planner, Store Managers, Regional Managers and other co-workers
• .Negotiate with vendors to secure the best terms for maximum margin results, including supplier income, and best pricing as well as markdown and/or RTV agreements
• .Prepare for and participate in regular Merchandising meetings such as Weekly Performance Meetings, Month End Review / OTB meetings, Collaboration meetings, New Store Review meetings, etc
• .Develop seasonal trend presentations and participate in seasonal workshops to educate the field organization (applicable by merchandise category)
• .Visit our stores (including visits on location as requested) to evaluate assortments, presentations, stock levels, marketing, customers, and obtain feedback from store personnel. Visit competitors to evaluate pricing, assortments, and market trends for possible opportunities
• .Carry out tasks related to new stores, including research into new markets (including visits on location as requested), participating in Planogram meetings, developing new assortments for new concepts or stores, etc
• .Work closely with Planner to manage allocation, reorder flow, and product lifecycle including promos, markdowns, transfers and RTVs

Qualification

• s:3+ years of merchandise buying or vendor management experienc
• e.Strong command of merchandising and retail math, including Open-to-Buy (OTB) managemen
• t.Ability to adapt, multi-task and problem solve in a fast-paced and changing environmen
• t.Advanced computer skills, including Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and experience with a merchandising software platfor